The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-06-01


She reached the Office and looked at
the clock. Five minutes to 8 and the
train left Stnatford al ,:03. Wen, eight
minutes was more than plenty Of time if
she could "raise > Stratfori. She grasped
the key. "sd-sd-sd clicked the instru-
ment. Never before Was there SO inlpa-
tient an operator on that line. With her
ewes on the elo,k, which seemed then. if
ever. to say -neyer-neyer--
neyer-forever,r she kept up the call.
Somebody on the other side broke her
twice, but she gave all the danger signals
she could think Of, one, two, three, four,
five--slowly pealedthe clock each stroke
an agony TO the girl.
Meanwhile the agent at Stratford
could not operate at al. and the boy who
could, and served as general ehore boy
about the place, had gone .or the cows
and there was no one 10 answer the call
on which so much depended.
A few minutes and it was too late, and
NiNlt WIS Ia a LitA Ntittttttsl
Mike closed the key in despair. She
did not know the train signal, but seized
the red flag under the old desk, and ran
for dear life, literally the dear lives of her
fellow creatures Not until she got to
the wrecked place did she remember
that she must 60 beyond the curve to stop
them or she would be of no use. Already
she heard the approaching train rumble
in the distance Faster, faster she sped
around the curve straight on upthe track.
She could see them now coming in. On
they rushed, the great engine bent on de-
stroying It's precious freight. Mike stop
ped in the midst of the track and frantic
ally swung her red flag. but still the mon
ster rushed toward her, showing no abate-
ment of speed.
Meanwhile the brakeman and fireman
stood aghast to see the engineer 50 utter
ly regardless Of her.
Stop, man he shouted; don't you
see the girl?"
Yes said the half-drunk engineer.
Why don't the little fool get out Of the
way? III teach her and made no move
ment to stop.
Mike waited with sinking heart. Oh,
why did everything 90 against her2 Was
it the viii Of God that this dreadful thing
must happen The engine was close up
on her, and she ran on a iutting rock by
the railroad, waving her scarlet flag; but
Just as the engine came alongside Of her
she heard the sharp click of the call bell
in the engine, and saw the fireman push
the engineer aside, and reverse the en-
CINE. The conductor. who had just seen I
her and excitedly pulled the bell-rope,
jumped of and came toward her. But
the reaction was too much for poor Mike, I
and she could only gasp out:
Round the curve and then she was
a white hc.ef, with no sense of anything.
Passengers rushed out, and, after some 4
had been to the curve and seen what the /
little girl saved them from, no lady in
the land could be so Loyalty waited npon
as she was when she had been lifted in {
to the car and told modestly her little
story. 1t was some little time before the /
track was ready for the train to proceed, (
and when Mike got out at her own station /
many kind hands pressed hers in fare
well, too, just as the train left, saying
You are the bravest little woman in 4
the State
Not until she had been in the office a /
good half hour with her father, who had (
20. home from his lawsuit. and wonder
ed what made the train late and where
Mike had gone to and told him ali the
story, did Mike think to look at the
packet Then she read note:
~WiIl Miss Eunice Markham accept 1
the accompanying from the friends she I
50 bravely saved July %, 1850"
The note was wrapped around 500 in |
Bank notes
Oh, papa now you can pay off the /
on the house cried Mike, and I!
the father said
Il declare Nick, you get higher wages !
as agent than do
The superintendent Of the Q. & L. Rail- 4
road committee came down to Parkers- {
town that week, and soon after there WAS 4
a vacancy in one of the best Offices Of the 1
in neighboring city and Mr. I
Markham was rendered the situation. He 1
accepted so Mike can havethe school /
ing she wants so much, he said and to-
day Miss Eunice Markham is one of the 4
most promising pupils in the high school /
of that city But more than ever is she I
the pride of her fathers heart, who never
tires of telling of the afternoon his girl /
was station agent"
But, after all, you would never take her
for heroine.